# InstantPot



## vraiblonde

Son sent me an Amazon gift card for my birthday, so I bought an InstantPot.  RV forum people love it and it seems perfect for motorhome cooking.

Anyone have one?  Do you love it?


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## Toxick

Sounds like a gateway drug.


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## lucky_bee

I'd like some convincing on these things. There's a huge craze going on about them now, although they've been out forever. But I understand technology has come a long way and I should probably get the image out of my head of pots exploding and shrapnel of metal and chicken flying across my kitchen...

I love my crockpot but I already struggle to find really good recipes that don't end up as some kind of spooned mush. I feel like 3/4 of the recipes I find all sound best piled on a bed of rice or pasta (and yea I could and do make cauliflower rice, but that gets old quick). I try to keep carbs down as much as possible so I don't get to pull out the crockpot as much as I'd like as it is. Most of my dinners are some kind of protein with 2 veggie sides - I'm still in the kitchen at least 20-30 mins. And most of the recipes I see for Instapots are just like crockpot recipes: slow cooking tender messes (albeit yummy messes) requiring a bed of starch.

As someone that tries to keep carbs and processed food to a minimum, what can I do with an instapot? Everyone is getting one and I want one too but why


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## vraiblonde

lucky_bee said:


> I'd like some convincing on these things. There's a huge craze going on about them now, although they've been out forever. But I understand technology has come a long way and I should probably get the image out of my head of pots exploding and shrapnel of metal and chicken flying across my kitchen...
> 
> I love my crockpot but I already struggle to find really good recipes that don't end up as some kind of spooned mush. I feel like 3/4 of the recipes I find all sound best piled on a bed of rice or pasta (and yea I could and do make cauliflower rice, but that gets old quick). I try to keep carbs down as much as possible so I don't get to pull out the crockpot as much as I'd like as it is. Most of my dinners are some kind of protein with 2 veggie sides - I'm still in the kitchen at least 20-30 mins. And most of the recipes I see for Instapots are just like crockpot recipes: slow cooking tender messes (albeit yummy messes) requiring a bed of starch.
> 
> As someone that tries to keep carbs and processed food to a minimum, what can I do with an instapot? Everyone is getting one and I want one too but why



I had a large crockpot that I brought with me to the motorhome.  When I had the house, and later the apartment, I used it all the time.  On the road, I used it maybe twice in a year and a half.  Just Monello and I, we don't need 3 gallons of chili (or anything else).  I finally donated the crockpot because it took up so much space, and figured I'd get a smaller crock to replace it.

Enter InstantPot.

It supposedly does rice, oatmeal, eggs, slow cook, pressure cook, bakes cakes, cleans your carpets, washes your dog, and gets out stubborn stains.  With a fairly small footprint, will fit easily on our limited counterspace.  I see myself using it for eggs a lot, and for making fridge meals to grab for breakfast or lunch.  I used to use my pressure cooker a good bit as well, but not enough that it made the cut for the motorhome.  So basically, this gadget is going to replace bigger appliances that I can't justify the space for.

I'm a fan of soups and stews, and supposedly IP sears/cooks the meat so you can just dump in the rest of the ingredients and slow cook until done.  One pot is attractive to me.  I'm seeing chili, beef stew, sausage lentil - for cabbage soup (and Runza guts), it will be WAY easier than standing over the stove cooking the cabbage.  Chuck roast for Italian beef, and boneless chicken for various purposes, maybe experiment and see if I can do acceptable carnitas in the pot.

I'm pretty sure hard-boiled eggs will make a big comeback in my life, which means deviled eggs as well.  In fact, that's probably the first thing I'll do with it.


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## lovinmaryland

lucky_bee said:


> I'd like some convincing on these things. There's a huge craze going on about them now, although they've been out forever. But I understand technology has come a long way and I should probably get the image out of my head of pots exploding and shrapnel of metal and chicken flying across my kitchen...
> 
> I love my crockpot but I already struggle to find really good recipes that don't end up as some kind of spooned mush. I feel like 3/4 of the recipes I find all sound best piled on a bed of rice or pasta (and yea I could and do make cauliflower rice, but that gets old quick). I try to keep carbs down as much as possible so I don't get to pull out the crockpot as much as I'd like as it is. Most of my dinners are some kind of protein with 2 veggie sides - I'm still in the kitchen at least 20-30 mins. And most of the recipes I see for Instapots are just like crockpot recipes: slow cooking tender messes (albeit yummy messes) requiring a bed of starch.
> 
> As someone that tries to keep carbs and processed food to a minimum, what can I do with an instapot? Everyone is getting one and I want one too but why



I've heard people tell me they cook soups, pies, and crap in the instapot.  I'm like you I use the crock pot occasionally but that's pretty much it.  So I'm not sure the instapot would be a good investment for me.


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## vraiblonde

lovinmaryland said:


> I've heard people tell me they cook soups, pies, and crap in the instapot.  I'm like you I use the crock pot occasionally but that's pretty much it.  So I'm not sure the instapot would be a good investment for me.



If I had a traditional kitchen with normal cooking appliances and space for specialty cookers, I doubt I'd care about the InstantPot.

Something I just remembered:

When we travel by car and stay in cottages and hotel rooms there are times when all we have is a minifridge and microwave.  I can see taking the InstantPot with us on those jaunts.


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## MJ

I'm so tired of trying to figure out dinner.  I was looking at these because I get home late a lot and I'm trying to figure out how to get a healthy meal on the table fast.  Lately, I've been doing Home Chef, which helps because I don't have to figure out what to cook or shop for the food.  I'll be interested to see how you like it.


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## Kyle

Toxick said:


> Sounds like a gateway drug.



thought that was "Crack-Pot"


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## lovinmaryland

vraiblonde said:


> If I had a traditional kitchen with normal cooking appliances and space for specialty cookers, I doubt I'd care about the InstantPot.
> 
> Something I just remembered:
> 
> When we travel by car and stay in cottages and hotel rooms there are times when all we have is a minifridge and microwave.  I can see taking the InstantPot with us on those jaunts.


That's true!  Do you have one of these?  I LOVE mine.  I take it w/ us when we travel.  As long as theres a plug near by you can literally use it anywhere.  I've cooked w/ it outside even in a hotel room lol  I can cook pasta in it, fry things, sauté, etc...  They have them in different sizes.  I have a large one and a small one.  Love love love them!  https://www.walmart.com/ip/Presto-11-Electric-Skillet-w-glass-lid/17186907


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## vraiblonde

lovinmaryland said:


> That's true!  Do you have one of these?  I LOVE mine.  I take it w/ us when we travel.  As long as theres a plug near by you can literally use it anywhere.  I've cooked w/ it outside even in a hotel room lol  I can cook pasta in it, fry things, sauté, etc...  They have them in different sizes.  I have a large one and a small one.  Love love love them!  https://www.walmart.com/ip/Presto-11-Electric-Skillet-w-glass-lid/17186907



Electric skillet is almost a necessity for motorhome living.  We use ours all the time.


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## Bann

lovinmaryland said:


> That's true!  Do you have one of these?  I LOVE mine.  I take it w/ us when we travel.  As long as theres a plug near by you can literally use it anywhere.  I've cooked w/ it outside even in a hotel room lol  I can cook pasta in it, fry things, sauté, etc...  They have them in different sizes.  I have a large one and a small one.  Love love love them!  https://www.walmart.com/ip/Presto-11-Electric-Skillet-w-glass-lid/17186907





vraiblonde said:


> Electric skillet is almost a necessity for motorhome living.  We use ours all the time.


  I've used an electric skillet my entire adult life!  When I first moved out of my parents' home - I took her old Sunbeam electric skillet.  I used that thing until I wore it out.  I had to look for one on eBay to replace it, because by the time I was buying one - they were ALL non-stick.   Anyway, I love them so much, I go through 1 every 3-4 years now.    

We have the very large one right now.    I use the stove and the oven, but I don't know what I'd do without an electric skillet!


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## vraiblonde

Hooray!  My InstantPot is here!


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## Monello

vraiblonde said:


> Hooray!  My InstantPot is here!



Gonna make some brownies in that bad boy.


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## GURPS

Bann said:


> I've used an electric skillet my entire adult life!






that's mostly what mom used while I was growing up  ....  we still have that bad boy somewhere


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## vraiblonde

I have to say, cooking in this thing is EZPZ.  Butter chicken in 8 minutes.  The meat was tender and flavorful, the sauce was a little thin but still damn good.

I think tomorrow I'm going to try carnitas.


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## Bann

vraiblonde said:


> I have to say, cooking in this thing is EZPZ.  Butter chicken in 8 minutes.  The meat was tender and flavorful, the sauce was a little thin but still damn good.
> 
> I think tomorrow I'm going to try carnitas.




  Can't wait to hear how they turn out!


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## littlelady

vraiblonde said:


> Son sent me an Amazon gift card for my birthday, so I bought an InstantPot.  RV forum people love it and it seems perfect for motorhome cooking.
> 
> Anyone have one?  Do you love it?



Hub asked me if I wanted one.  They are the rage right now!  I said no because I am such a penny pincher (I have a gargantua orange crock pot that was a wedding present in 1977), and old fashioned cook.  We missed the deep discount yesterday because I couldn’t commit.  :  Sounds like a great appliance.  Happy cooking!  And, I looked up that butter chicken recipe.  Sounds delicious!


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## vraiblonde

You all are going to have to put up with me  about my InstantPot for awhile.  

I eat a lot of eggs and like to keep HB eggs in the fridge for snacking.  IP makes them in just a few minutes, but best of all...the shells slide right off.  Perfect unblemished hard boiled eggs.  I'm unreasonably excited about this.


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## mAlice

I've never heard of the Instant Pot before now, but I think I might need one.


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## Monello

So far the pot is 2 for 2.  Just finished up some HB eggs.  Peels actually slide right off.  I spent 25 years in food service.  I've peeled my share of hard boiled eggs.  These were by far the easiest shells to remove.  Makes you wonder why we've waited so long to be able to do this easily.  I can't tell you how many times I've had to wrestle shells off of eggs.  And we tried all the tricks to get them to peel easy.

Then there was last night's chicken.  It took literally no time at all.  The meat was super tender, not some hard, rubbery pieces.  And with the sauce, it stayed hot for a long time.  It was served with some basmati rice.  Time to add more of that rice to our shopping list.  I'd make the chicken again but I want to try out other recipes.


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## GURPS

Monello said:


> Time to add more of that rice to our shopping list.




apparently Instapots are great for cooking just rice


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## vraiblonde

GURPS said:


> apparently Instapots are great for cooking just rice



Currently I'm getting those ready-rice packs at the grocery store - heat and eat.  Uncle Ben's rice packs are gross, but the Seeds of Change brand is fantastic.  90 seconds in the microwave.  However, as much as I like brown rice, whole grains, and quinoa, it makes sense to do a bunch of it in the InstantPot.  If I seal individual portions tightly after letting them cool completely, they should stay good for awhile.


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## NextJen

vraiblonde said:


> I eat a lot of eggs and like to keep HB eggs in the fridge for snacking.  IP makes them in just a few minutes, but best of all...the shells slide right off.  Perfect unblemished hard boiled eggs.



You know, doing them the usual pot boiled way, it's sometimes hit-or-miss.  Sometimes perfect peel, sometimes craters and mangled mess.  I'll be interested to know if this is the 'norm' for the IP.  That would be great!


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## BadGirl

I have a multi-function cooker (Not an IP, but a veru siimilar product).  I use the pressure cooker and crock pot feature most frequently, and I love it, love it, love it.  I got it as a Christmas present a few years ago, and I botched and moaned about getting yet another kitchen product that i likely wouldn't use.  But I do use it....A LOT!

One thing to keep kind is that the rigid plastic "gasket" that rests inside the lid  does take on an odor of whatever you cook.  My lid still smells like beef stew, and it's been two weeks since I prepared beef stew.


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## General Lee

vraiblonde said:


> Currently I'm getting those ready-rice packs at the grocery store - heat and eat.  Uncle Ben's rice packs are gross, but the Seeds of Change brand is fantastic.  90 seconds in the microwave.



I'll have to try the Seeds of Change, I like the Uncle Ben's brand especially the brown basmati.


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## Dakota

BadGirl said:


> I have a multi-function cooker (Not an IP, but a veru siimilar product).  I use the pressure cooker and crock pot feature most frequently, and I love it, love it, love it.  I got it as a Christmas present a few years ago, and I botched and moaned about getting yet another kitchen product that i likely wouldn't use.  But I do use it....A LOT!
> 
> One thing to keep kind is that the rigid plastic "gasket" that rests inside the lid  does take on an odor of whatever you cook.  My lid still smells like beef stew, and it's been two weeks since I prepared beef stew.




Is it a pressure cooker?  

I used the snot out of my pressure cooker until it broke.  I bought an air fryer last year and my family uses the crap out of that sucker. 

I will have to look into an InstantPot since it just seems to be me and the Mr. most of the time anyway.


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## kom526

Vrai, LuckyBee etc. I came across this during my morning caffeine infusion.
http://instantloss.com/

There is a good story behind this website that I read on GMA.


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## vraiblonde

kom526 said:


> Vrai, LuckyBee etc. I came across this during my morning caffeine infusion.
> http://instantloss.com/
> 
> There is a good story behind this website that I read on GMA.



Thanks!


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## Merlin99

vraiblonde said:


> Thanks!



So if this thing is a pressure cooker also, can you use it as a pressure fryer for KFC, or breasted chicken?


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## vraiblonde

Merlin99 said:


> So if this thing is a pressure cooker also, can you use it as a pressure fryer for KFC, or breasted chicken?



I don't think so unless they have a special seal for it.  Most pressure cookers, if you try to pressure fry it will melt the seal.  HOWEVER, what I learned on my frying chicken odyssey is that frying the chicken, then draining and putting it in the pressure cooker for a couple minutes, resulted in KFC quality bird.


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## GWguy

kom526 said:


> Vrai, LuckyBee etc. I came across this during my morning caffeine infusion.
> http://instantloss.com/
> 
> There is a good story behind this website that I read on GMA.



 From the title, I was thinking it melts down or blows up and takes the house with it....  Instant Loss.


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## vraiblonde

I'm making a roast with carrots and potatoes in the InstantPot but I have conflicting recipes.  Some say sear the beef, then throw the veggies and broth/seasonings on top and pressure for an hour.  Others say sear and pressure the beef for 50 minutes, then release, throw the veggies on top, and pressure for 10 minutes.



I used the first method, with the logic that when you crockpot RCP, you throw it all in together for the same amount of time.  When you do RCP in the oven, it all goes in the same roasting pan for the same amount of time.  If the C and P end up mushy, I'll know better next time.


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## acommondisaster

vraiblonde said:


> I'm making a roast with carrots and potatoes in the InstantPot but I have conflicting recipes.  Some say sear the beef, then throw the veggies and broth/seasonings on top and pressure for an hour.  Others say sear and pressure the beef for 50 minutes, then release, throw the veggies on top, and pressure for 10 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I used the first method, with the logic that when you crockpot RCP, you throw it all in together for the same amount of time.  When you do RCP in the oven, it all goes in the same roasting pan for the same amount of time.  If the C and P end up mushy, I'll know better next time.




I don't know InstantPot personally, but our Sunday roast after church was always made in the pressure cooker...specked throughout with slivers of garlic then seared (in the pressure cooker) then the carrots, onions and potatoes thrown in (in large chunks, carrots whole or halved, and whole medium size onions).  The veggies will be thoroughly cooked but not mushy. To my mind, there's nothing quite as good as onions that are flavored by a roast done in a pressure cooker - it's something close to carmelization, but not quite. We used to fight over them at our house.

PS...when the roast and veggies came out, Mom would bring the juices to a boil, add a bit of flour and water (mixed) and make the gravy. A one pot wonder -  makes me want a pressure cooker again, thinking about it.


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## vraiblonde

Both the carrots and potatoes were super mushy.  The roast was perfect, but next time it needs an onion like ACD said above.  Dinner was still delicious, but next time I'll do the roast (with onions) for 40 mins, then add the veggies for another 15 mins.


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## PeoplesElbow

I made the Christmas green beans in an electric pressure cooker,  5 minutes and they were perfect.  The whole family commented how great the green beans were.


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## black dog

vraiblonde said:


> I'm making a roast with carrots and potatoes in the InstantPot but I have conflicting recipes.  Some say sear the beef, then throw the veggies and broth/seasonings on top and pressure for an hour.  Others say sear and pressure the beef for 50 minutes, then release, throw the veggies on top, and pressure for 10 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I used the first method, with the logic that when you crockpot RCP, you throw it all in together for the same amount of time.  When you do RCP in the oven, it all goes in the same roasting pan for the same amount of time.  If the C and P end up mushy, I'll know better next time.



 The part about flouring and searing the meat first will give your meat that actually was seared and not boiled and the leftover oil and brown bits in the pan are the best for making a stock to be cooked in.  Just deglaze with a can of chicken stock and a spoon, drop the roast back in it, and then throw the pressure to it.


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## glhs837

black dog said:


> Just deglaze with a can of chicken stock and a spoon, drop the roast back in it, and then throw the pressure to it.



'Splain this to me Lucy. I keep seeing that term, but I'm not sure what it means. Our IP should arrive this coming week.


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## vraiblonde

glhs837 said:


> 'Splain this to me Lucy. I keep seeing that term, but I'm not sure what it means. Our IP should arrive this coming week.



Deglaze:  after you sear meat in a non-stick pan, there are the brown bits stuck to the bottom.  Pull the meat, then hit the hot pan with some liquid - broth or wine, beer works - and the bits will come loose so you can make a pan sauce with it or just add flavor to whatever you're cooking.  This is also a good trick for cleaning the pan without a lot of scrubbing:  toss about a half cup of water into the hot pan, burnt on bits come right off.


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## black dog

glhs837 said:


> 'Splain this to me Lucy. I keep seeing that term, but I'm not sure what it means. Our IP should arrive this coming week.



 You score & flour your meat  and brown it in some cooking oil, after all sides of the beef have been browned you remove the beef and pour a can of of chicken stock in the hot pan and while it is boiling mix and scrap the bottom of the pan to get all the brown bits to mix and float in the now enriched stock mix. It can be used as liquid for cooking the roast or later by adding to roux for making gravy.


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## jazz lady

Looking to buy one and am confused about which size to get and the number of things it can do options.  

Whatcha got?


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## mAlice

jazz lady said:


> Looking to buy one and am confused about which size to get and the number of things it can do options.
> 
> Whatcha got?



I have the 6 qt.  I didn't want to limit myself, and I like to cook and freeze.  I didn't go 8 qt because it just seemed like throwing money in the wind.  I'm actually glad I didn't, I read just today that there are problems with melting with some of the 8 qts.


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## jazz lady

mAlice said:


> I have the 6 qt.  I didn't want to limit myself, and I like to cook and freeze.  I didn't go 8 qt because it just seemed like throwing money in the wind.  I'm actually glad I didn't, I read just today that there are problems with melting with some of the 8 qts.



That's what I was thinking as I don't see a need for the bigger size. But in that size there are '6-in-1', '7-in-1','8-in-1', '9-in-1', and '10-in-1' options. Plus all sorts of accessories you can buy so now I am REALLY confused.


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## glhs837

mAlice said:


> I have the 6 qt.  I didn't want to limit myself, and I like to cook and freeze.  I didn't go 8 qt because it just seemed like throwing money in the wind.  I'm actually glad I didn't, I read just today that there are problems with melting with some of the 8 qts.



Same here, we got the 6qt Duo, but I'm not sure the extra modes are worth the extra cash as most of my cooking is done using manual settings. Now, about that 8 qt melting thing.... Read closer. If it's what I think it is, thats actually the 8-in-1 Gem "Multi-cooker", NOT the 8qt instant pot. The problem is that the instant pot FB post about the issue links directly to InstantPot.com, not the actual 8 in 1 Gem cooker page. So people halfway read the text, see the image, which shows the IP, not the oval slow cooker, and get the misconception. 

Here's the CR page on the recall


https://www.consumerreports.org/instant-pot/instant-pot-gem-8-in-1-multicooker/


Ah, looks like they fixed the FB post.....

https://www.facebook.com/instantpot/photos/gm.1831848933575753/1567223176658400/?type=3


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## mAlice

jazz lady said:


> That's what I was thinking as I don't see a need for the bigger size. But in that size there are '6-in-1', '7-in-1','8-in-1', '9-in-1', and '10-in-1' options. Plus all sorts of accessories you can buy so now I am REALLY confused.



I dunno'.  I haven't graduated to advance IP yet.  I went to WalMart.  They had a 6 qt for 69. and an 8 qt for 79.  I wasn't thinking about adding parts yet.  I'm lucky I've managed to use it without blowing the roof off the house.  After I got it all loaded up the other day, I made excuses for like an hour before I turned it on.  My mom blew up a pressure cooker when I was a kid, so I'm a reluctant navigator.


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## mAlice

glhs837 said:


> Same here, we got the 6qt Duo, but I'm not sure the extra modes are worth the extra cash as most of my cooking is done using manual settings. Now, about that 8 qt melting thing.... Read closer. If it's what I think it is, thats actually the 8-in-1 Gem "Multi-cooker", NOT the 8qt instant pot. The problem is that the instant pot FB post about the issue links directly to InstantPot.com, not the actual 8 in 1 Gem cooker page. So people halfway read the text, see the image, which shows the IP, not the oval slow cooker, and get the misconception.
> 
> Here's the CR page on the recall
> 
> 
> https://www.consumerreports.org/instant-pot/instant-pot-gem-8-in-1-multicooker/
> 
> 
> Ah, looks like they fixed the FB post.....
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/instantpot/photos/gm.1831848933575753/1567223176658400/?type=3



Yep, that's it.  My mistake.


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## glhs837

jazz lady said:


> That's what I was thinking as I don't see a need for the bigger size. But in that size there are '6-in-1', '7-in-1','8-in-1', '9-in-1', and '10-in-1' options. Plus all sorts of accessories you can buy so now I am REALLY confused.



Here's a good breakdown. 

https://www.hippressurecooking.com/which-instant-pot-model-is-right-for-you/

Budget is a concern, but if you have the cash and devices drive you a bit nuts, then the Ultra is supposed to have the most intuttive interface. Our Duo, which is the Duo Plus, I do use the Egg function all the time


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## glhs837

mAlice said:


> I dunno'.  I haven't graduated to advance IP yet.  I went to WalMart.  They had a 6 qt for 69. and an 8 qt for 79.  I wasn't thinking about adding parts yet.  I'm lucky I've managed to use it without blowing the roof off the house.  After I got it all loaded up the other day, I made excuses for like an hour before I turned it on.  My mom blew up a pressure cooker when I was a kid, so I'm a reluctant navigator.



some nice to have things I think I'll be getting soon include a steamer basket, as fishing the trivet out when it's holding two racks of ribs scares me. Not scared of being burnt but loosing the ribs  And some stacked containers to cook tow things at once unmixed. Oh, and a seven inch cake pan to make a bigger cheesecake


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## vraiblonde

jazz lady said:


> Looking to buy one and am confused about which size to get and the number of things it can do options.
> 
> Whatcha got?



I have the 6 qt Ultra 10-in-1.  You probably don't want to go smaller than that.

This thing has more presets than I will ever use.  Mostly I use pressure, slow, steam, and saute.  Everything else you can do manually just as easy.  As long as you can set the temps for each feature you should be good.


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## jazz lady

glhs837 said:


> Here's a good breakdown.
> 
> https://www.hippressurecooking.com/which-instant-pot-model-is-right-for-you/
> 
> Budget is a concern, but if you have the cash and devices drive you a bit nuts, then the Ultra is supposed to have the most intuitive interface. Our Duo, which is the Duo Plus, I do use the Egg function all the time



Thanks!  That broke it down nicely.    The Duo Plus or Ultra seems to be the best bet.


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## jazz lady

vraiblonde said:


> I have the 6 qt Ultra 10-in-1.  You probably don't want to go smaller than that.
> 
> This thing has more presets than I will ever use.  Mostly I use pressure, slow, steam, and saute.  Everything else you can do manually just as easy.  As long as you can set the temps for each feature you should be good.



Thanks and it is either that or the Duo Plus. More research but at least I have narrowed it down to size and a couple of models.


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## kwillia

jazz lady said:


> Looking to buy one and am confused about which size to get and the number of things it can do options.
> 
> Whatcha got?


Just yesterday I read an article give the recall info for models exploding and bursting into flames... avoid those.


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## mAlice

kwillia said:


> Just yesterday I read an article give the recall info for models exploding and bursting into flames... avoid those.



Well, crap.  Which one's are those?


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## kwillia

mAlice said:


> Well, crap.  Which one's are those?



Well, maybe not quite as dramatic and exploding... but... 
http://wnct.com/2018/02/23/instant-pot-issues-recall-warns-consumers-of-certain-pots-overheating/


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## GWguy

kom526 said:


> Vrai, LuckyBee etc. I came across this during my morning caffeine infusion.
> http://instantloss.com/
> 
> There is a good story behind this website that I read on GMA.





GWguy said:


> From the title, I was thinking it melts down or blows up and takes the house with it....  Instant Loss.


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## jazz lady

kwillia said:


> Well, maybe not quite as dramatic and exploding... but...
> http://wnct.com/2018/02/23/instant-pot-issues-recall-warns-consumers-of-certain-pots-overheating/



That is the multicooker, not pressure cooker, ghls837 referred to earlier.  :whew:


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## kwillia

jazz lady said:


> That is the multicooker, not pressure cooker, ghls837 referred to earlier.  :whew:


Oh... this was the InstaPot thread... I missed the topic switch...


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## glhs837

kwillia said:


> Oh... this was the InstaPot thread... I missed the topic switch...



The topic gets confused because Instant Pot makes the 8 in 1 Multi Cooker tat is the subject of the overheat and melt recall. So people, not knowing that IP makes anything but Instant Pots, assume any recall from IP means Instant Pots.


----------



## Monello

We had pork ribs for dinner, cooked in the instapot.  Giorgio, Maria & Giuseppe was it ever good.  Best part is the time savings.  20 minutes or so in the pressure cooker then on the grill slathered with sauce to finish.

Fall off the bone tender without all the fuss and time investment.

If you own 1 of these amazing tools you owe it yourself and your family to run out and get you some pork ribs.  You will be thanking me later.  Marinate them for half a day, cook them in the pot then toss on grill.  Easy peasy as they say.  And we have leftovers!


----------



## littlelady

Monello said:


> We had pork ribs for dinner, cooked in the instapot.  Giorgio, Maria & Giuseppe was it ever good.  Best part is the time savings.  20 minutes or so in the pressure cooker then on the grill slathered with sauce to finish.
> 
> Fall off the bone tender without all the fuss and time investment.
> 
> If you own 1 of these amazing tools you owe it yourself and your family to run out and get you some pork ribs.  You will be thanking me later.  Marinate them for half a day, cook them in the pot then toss on grill.  Easy peasy as they say.  And we have leftovers!



I have been on the fence about this Instapot thing, but the more I read on the forum, the more I am convinced to get one.  I am a hard sell cuz I am so financially frugal.  If ribs can be made in such a short amount of time, it has to save elec vs the oven.  We throw the ribs on the grill to finish them off, too.


----------



## vraiblonde

No kidding


----------



## Merlin99

A new use, wine making.

https://foodnservice.com/instant-pot-wine/


----------



## jazz lady

jazz lady said:


> The Duo Plus or Ultra seems to be the best bet.



I finally broke down and ordered the Duo 60 Plus 6 quart. It should be here Sunday.    Now to figure out all the accessories I will need to get after I try it a few times.


----------



## vraiblonde

jazz lady said:


> I finally broke down and ordered the Duo 60 Plus 6 quart. It should be here Sunday.    Now to figure out all the accessories I will need to get after I try it a few times.



I bought no accessories, but if I did I'd buy a silicone cake pan that fits inside.  We don't eat much cake so I'd probably never use it, which is why I don't have one.


----------



## jazz lady

vraiblonde said:


> I bought no accessories, but if I did I'd buy a silicone cake pan that fits inside.  We don't eat much cake so I'd probably never use it, which is why I don't have one.



Good, because I'm now being inundated with suggestions for accessories for my Instant Pot, even though it hasn't gotten here yet.


----------



## GURPS

littlelady said:


> I have been on the fence about this Instapot thing, ....





Instapot and and Air Fryer


----------



## kwillia

We use our air fryer daily... most often times several times a day... morning noon and night.


----------



## Sharon

jazz lady said:


> Good, because I'm now being inundated with suggestions for accessories for my Instant Pot, even though it hasn't gotten here yet.


The egg insert is great for making eggs in the shell.  I also have a stainless steel steamer basket (not the mesh one).  FYI, my IP stopped working all of the sudden. While I was jumping through hoops with the company I bought a different brand because I couldn't be without one. It was cheaper (on sale) and it even came with a glass lid.  Finally, weeks later I received a new base for my IP, so I'm happy.  Seems something that expensive shouldn't be disposable.


----------



## vraiblonde

kwillia said:


> We use our air fryer daily... most often times several times a day... morning noon and night.



I keep thinking we need an air fryer but our space is so limited and we don't really fry things anyway.  So far I've managed to restrain myself.


----------



## kwillia

vraiblonde said:


> I keep thinking we need an air fryer but our space is so limited and we don't really fry things anyway.  So far I've managed to restrain myself.


It bakes things better than an oven and faster too so don't just think 'fry'. I make R homemade crabcakes and that is his preferred method of how they are cooked now. We use it to reheat things because it makes what we are cooking reheated and 'crisp' rather than reheated and soggy or hard which is what you get from a microwave. We have the XL size and the foot print is no larger than your instant pot.


----------



## jazz lady

Sharon said:


> The egg insert is great for making eggs in the shell.  I also have a stainless steel steamer basket (not the mesh one).  FYI, my IP stopped working all of the sudden. While I was jumping through hoops with the company I bought a different brand because I couldn't be without one. It was cheaper (on sale) and it even came with a glass lid.  Finally, weeks later I received a new base for my IP, so I'm happy.  Seems something that expensive shouldn't be disposable.



Thanks for the accessories tips and I will look into those after I have tried my IP out. I hope I don't have the troubles you had with yours and glad the situation is rectified now.



GURPS said:


> Instapot and and Air Fryer





kwillia said:


> We use our air fryer daily... most often times several times a day... morning noon and night.





kwillia said:


> It bakes things better than an oven and faster too so don't just think 'fry'. I make R homemade crabcakes and that is his preferred method of how they are cooked now. We use it to reheat things because it makes what we are cooking reheated and 'crisp' rather than reheated and soggy or hard which is what you get from a microwave. We have the XL size and the foot print is no larger than your instant pot.



I am definitely interested in getting an air fryer and they are cheap enough I won't feel guilty about buying it.   I like the fact I can use that instead of heating up the oven just for a batch of fries for me.  They have the Bella 2.6-Qt. Air Fryer for $49.99 (regularly $79.99) at BJ's and I will go check it out.


----------



## kwillia

jazz lady said:


> I am definitely interested in getting an air fryer and they are cheap enough I won't feel guilty about buying it.   I like the fact I can use that instead of heating up the oven just for a batch of fries for me.  They have the Bella 2.6-Qt. Air Fryer for $49.99 (regularly $79.99) at BJ's and I will go check it out.


I made homemade pizza dough today for homemade pizza for dinner. I just used the air fryer to "prep-cook" my veggies I'm using for toppings. I mandolin slice them, toss them in a little EVOO and seasoning then throw them in the air fryer at 370 for 10 minutes while I'm spreading and saucing the dough.  It perfectly roast the veggies so they are still crisp yet not raw. Adds great flavor to the pizza.


----------



## glhs837

Sharon said:


> The egg insert is great for making eggs in the shell.  I also have a stainless steel steamer basket (not the mesh one).  FYI, my IP stopped working all of the sudden. While I was jumping through hoops with the company I bought a different brand because I couldn't be without one. It was cheaper (on sale) and it even came with a glass lid.  Finally, weeks later I received a new base for my IP, so I'm happy.  Seems something that expensive shouldn't be disposable.



Been just using the stock trivet for eggs, got a cheapie multi pack of accessories for Xmas. Part of which was an egg stand. Doesnt support any more or less, but does lift them a couple inches in the air so they are easier to pick.


----------



## GURPS

kwillia said:


> We use it to reheat things because it makes what we are cooking reheated and 'crisp' rather than reheated and soggy or hard which is what you get from a microwave.





Chicken Strips ... French Fries


----------



## jazz lady

I tried out the Instant Pot yesterday and all I can say is...where have you been all my life?  I decided to make pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and celery.  The roast was about 2 pounds so I adjusted the cook time to 45 minutes.  Seasoned the meat then seared it in the pot, dumped in the veggies, added beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, closed it up and set it to pressure cook.  Oh my goodness, the roast came out so tender and the veggies perfect!  

I also got some ribs, which are marinating now and will be cooking this afternoon for dinner tonight.


----------



## vraiblonde

jazz lady said:


> I tried out the Instant Pot yesterday and all I can say is...where have you been all my life?  I decided to make pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and celery.  The roast was about 2 pounds so I adjusted the cook time to 45 minutes.  Seasoned the meat then seared it in the pot, dumped in the veggies, added beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, closed it up and set it to pressure cook.  Oh my goodness, the roast came out so tender and the veggies perfect!
> 
> I also got some ribs, which are marinating now and will be cooking this afternoon for dinner tonight.





I made beef stew with root veggies the other day.  About an hour, including prepping the veggies.


----------



## jazz lady

vraiblonde said:


> I made beef stew with root veggies the other day.  About an hour, including prepping the veggies.



I shall have to try that.  It is an amazing short cut tool and am loving learning how to use it.  I found this online series called "Pressure Point" put out by the Food Network on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/FNPressurePoint/

Great tips, recipes, and hands-on demonstrations!


----------



## glhs837

jazz lady said:


> I tried out the Instant Pot yesterday and all I can say is...where have you been all my life?  I decided to make pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and celery.  The roast was about 2 pounds so I adjusted the cook time to 45 minutes.  Seasoned the meat then seared it in the pot, dumped in the veggies, added beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, closed it up and set it to pressure cook.  Oh my goodness, the roast came out so tender and the veggies perfect!
> 
> I also got some ribs, which are marinating now and will be cooking this afternoon for dinner tonight.



Make darn sure you get that membrane off the back. And expect a 4-8 minute finish under the broiler. I've just been dry-rubbing mine with COTS dry rubs....... just flipping amazing.


----------



## jazz lady

glhs837 said:


> Make darn sure you get that membrane off the back. And expect a 4-8 minute finish under the broiler. I've just been dry-rubbing mine with COTS dry rubs....... just flipping amazing.



Yes to both of those. Been cooking long enough to know to remove the silver skin and the recipes all said finish the ribs under the broiler.  

I haven't found a good commercial rub I like yet, so I make my own: a mix of cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, brown sugar, flaked salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.  Bought some maple sugar and I am going to try using that instead of brown sugar in the mix.


----------



## vraiblonde

glhs837 said:


> Make darn sure you get that membrane off the back. And expect a 4-8 minute finish under the broiler. I've just been dry-rubbing mine with COTS dry rubs....... just flipping amazing.



I threw mine on the grill to char them up.  Basted with BBQ sauce and mmm mmm good!  In fact, I might make that in the next couple of days...


----------



## glhs837

jazz lady said:


> Yes to both of those. Been cooking long enough to know to remove the silver skin and the recipes all said finish the ribs under the broiler.
> 
> I haven't found a good commercial rub I like yet, so I make my own: a mix of cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, brown sugar, flaked salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.  Bought some maple sugar and I am going to try using that instead of brown sugar in the mix.



I had never really done ribs before, and reading to use a paper towel, I didn't really  believe it..... til I tried it


----------



## Bonehead

I ruined a perfectly good rack in my pressure cooker, turned them into mush...and bones.


----------



## glhs837

Bonehead said:


> I ruined a perfectly good rack in my pressure cooker, turned them into mush...and bones.



Stovetop of new-fangled electronically controlled one?


----------



## Bonehead

This is a stove top one. Not so much interested in an R2 D2  pressure cooker.


----------



## glhs837

Bonehead said:


> This is a stove top one. Not so much interested in an R2 D2  pressure cooker.



A lot to be said for "press a da button, magic happens, no mushmeat allowed".


----------



## General Lee

Vrai - I read a post of yours somewhere that you do hard boiled eggs/deviled eggs in the insta pot. Wondering how you do them. I followed a youtube video on it and hit the pressure cook button and set for 6 min. It worked but they didn't peel to easy like they were supposed to.


----------



## glhs837

General Lee said:


> Vrai - I read a post of yours somewhere that you do hard boiled eggs/deviled eggs in the insta pot. Wondering how you do them. I followed a youtube video on it and hit the pressure cook button and set for 6 min. It worked but they didn't peel to easy like they were supposed to.



Dont know about her, but I use whats called the 5-5-5 method. Five minutes on high pressure, then manually release the pressure after another five, followed by five minutes in an ice bath. I'm about 90% success for easy to peel, with some that dont. Usually when that happens, it's a whole batch that has issues, so I suspect those particular eggs.


----------



## General Lee

glhs837 said:


> Dont know about her, but I use whats called the 5-5-5 method. Five minutes on high pressure, then manually release the pressure after another five, followed by five minutes in an ice bath. I'm about 90% success for easy to peel, with some that dont. Usually when that happens, it's a whole batch that has issues, so I suspect those particular eggs.



I forgot to add I did immediately release the pressure and went straight for the ice bath. I have chickens so my eggs are fresh. Not sure if the fresh eggs had anything to do with it.


----------



## Merlin99

General Lee said:


> I forgot to add I did immediately release the pressure and went straight for the ice bath. I have chickens so my eggs are fresh. Not sure if the fresh eggs had anything to do with it.



Has a lot to do with it. Fresh eggs are more acidic which causes the membrane to stick to the egg.


----------



## vraiblonde

General Lee said:


> Vrai - I read a post of yours somewhere that you do hard boiled eggs/deviled eggs in the insta pot. Wondering how you do them. I followed a youtube video on it and hit the pressure cook button and set for 6 min. It worked but they didn't peel to easy like they were supposed to.



I put extra large or jumbo eggs in the pot on the rack with about a cup of water in the bottom.
Set the function to Eggs
Low pressure
Timer 4 minutes.
Natural release for 3 or 4 minutes

I just did a batch last night and they were perfect.  Shells slid right off.


----------



## General Lee

vraiblonde said:


> I put extra large or jumbo eggs in the pot on the rack with about a cup of water in the bottom.
> Set the function to Eggs
> Low pressure
> Timer 4 minutes.
> Natural release for 3 or 4 minutes
> 
> I just did a batch last night and they were perfect.  Shells slid right off.



Well darn, my model doesn't have the egg function.

Doing chicken noodle soup in it right now as I type.


----------



## vraiblonde

General Lee said:


> Well darn, my model doesn't have the egg function.



It's just low pressure, then set the time to 4 minutes.

Instant Pot has all these functions, but they're just suggestions.  Every one of them can be programmed manually.


----------



## TCROW

Came here to post about this, and glad to see a thread on it! One of our kids gave us one for Christmas. I'd been hearing about this thing for a while, and seemed kind of hokie, but pleasantly surprised with the utility of it.

Kids convinced us to try this rib recipe, which we did. It was really fantastic! And although the liquid smoke helped add some realism to the experience, I knew these didn't come off an actual smoker. But honestly, a more consistent cook on the meat then I could ever get out of my smoker. We too discovered hard boiled eggs, magical.

But mostly have been cooking beans/legumes in it. We never soak our beans anymore, which means no having to plan the night before if we think we want beans the next day. Which means we used to only eat beans about once every two weeks. Cannellini beans seem to take the longest at about 1 hour, 15 minutes. But man, they are so buttery smooth. We had some that had to be at least a year old, meaning super dehydrated. With conventional cooking, overnight pre-soak, the beans would almost seem dry/mealy. How could that be? They simmered in water for crying out loud! And if you simmered too long, they tended to fall apart. Not in the IP, they all stay intact and look like a picture-perfect sample of a bean. And silky smooth!

We got a 6 qt. pot, not sure of model beyond that, not sure if different "trim levels".


----------



## vraiblonde

TCROW said:


> We too discovered hard boiled eggs, magical.



It's cool how many people are excited about hard boiled eggs.    I thought it was just me.


----------



## General Lee

I also did 4 sweet potatoes in it the other day. 15 min on high pressure and done. Skin peeled right off. 

When you guys are figuring out times for cooking, don't forget to add 12-15 minutes for pressure build up before actual cook time.


----------



## glhs837

General Lee said:


> I also did 4 sweet potatoes in it the other day. 15 min on high pressure and done. Skin peeled right off.
> 
> When you guys are figuring out times for cooking, don't forget to add 12-15 minutes for pressure build up before actual cook time.



In recipes, that's always assumed, since time to pressure is always a variable depending on your cooker and a lot of other variables. Another staple is rice. Love me some jasmine rice in it. Key is to rinse it clean first, it's got a powdery coating that makes it too sticky. Usually cook it plain, but last night went crazy and added some soy type sauce I got from the Asian market on Willows, just a little, maybe a tablespoon and a half. Then some fresh chopped garlic and some chopped scallions. Man, what flavor


----------



## TCROW

Tonight's experiment didn't go so well. We had two small heads of cabbage, a ham steak, and some left over boiled potatoes.

I cut the cabbage up and put it in with some water and vinegar. Not too much liquid, as I knew the cabbage would give up some of its own. I went medium pressure cook for 3 minutes. I intended to release pressure right away and check the cabbage for doneness. But I got distracted and forgot about it for almost 15 minutes. I depressurized right away, but the cabbage was mush. I could see that the liquid was simmering, so I had a feeling it was going to be too much. I should have depressurized immediately.

What it was lacking in bite was more than made up for in taste. The vinegar seemed to permeate the cabbage more and was the perfect foil to the nice fatty edge on the ham steak which I hit with the sauté for a few minutes on each side. I didn't think that putting already-cooked potatoes in with the cabbage would have been a good idea, so I just ran them through a ricer and into a pot with some butter and cream. Grainy mustard on the side for the ham. It was very hot.


----------



## vraiblonde

TCROW said:


> Tonight's experiment didn't go so well.



I have the same problem with veggies getting overcooked.  Working on it.  But your dinner sounds good!


----------



## glhs837

vraiblonde said:


> I have the same problem with veggies getting overcooked.  Working on it.  But your dinner sounds good!



The release is pretty important on the veggies.


----------



## Bonehead

It seems to me that the heat/pressurization delay would turn any vegetable to mush or does the IP work differently than a normal pressure cooker ?


----------



## vraiblonde

glhs837 said:


> The release is pretty important on the veggies.



What I need to remember to do is pressure the meat for a time, then add the veggies and pressure more.  When I just sear the meat and pressure the whole thing together either the meat is tough or the veggies are mush.


----------



## glhs837

Bonehead said:


> It seems to me that the heat/pressurization delay would turn any vegetable to mush or does the IP work differently than a normal pressure cooker ?



Differently in that the IP can regulate pressure by adding or removing heat, I think. I've done a lot of veggies, both frozen and fresh and not had too many problems. Both times I did, it was me forgetting to vent immediately. If you try and do a pot roast and cook the veggies with the meat, it's gonna blast them. The roast gets done first, and then add the vegetables for the last two minutes. I mean, rice from dry takes five minutes of high pressure, then you let it bleed off for 10, then release whatever pressure is left. So obviously, softer things take less time in pressure and little to no no time to bleed. Potatoes ready to mash take 12 minutes of pressure with instant release, no time to bleed off naturally.


----------



## General Lee

glhs837 said:


> Differently in that the IP can regulate pressure by adding or removing heat, I think. I've done a lot of veggies, both frozen and fresh and not had too many problems. Both times I did, it was me forgetting to vent immediately. If you try and do a pot roast and cook the veggies with the meat, it's gonna blast them. The roast gets done first, and then add the vegetables for the last two minutes. I mean, rice from dry takes five minutes of high pressure, then you let it bleed off for 10, then release whatever pressure is left. So obviously, softer things take less time in pressure and little to no no time to bleed. Potatoes ready to mash take 12 minutes of pressure with instant release, no time to bleed off naturally.



See, its great that users will share their experiences with cook times because IP doesn't tell you anything other than push the correct button for what you're cooking. Rice button for rice, poultry for poultry. etc. The rest is trial and error and waste food and money.


----------



## glhs837

General Lee said:


> See, its great that users will share their experiences with cook times because IP doesn't tell you anything other than push the correct button for what you're cooking. Rice button for rice, poultry for poultry. etc. The rest is trial and error and waste food and money.



I never use the function buttons. I always google a recipe. I was printing them out, but it's easier to just google them again  The popular recipes have thousands of reviews and experiences behind them, the trial and error is done. And then, after you get some of those under your belt, you get a feel for whats what. I do poached eggs, three at a time, and I can dial in firmness as I want now, started doing them at five minutes, then walking the minutes back until I got to three minutes, right where I like them. 

One of my best sources of recipes is one of the instant Pot - Recipes Only Facebook  group. Nice thing about that it that any recipe posted is gong to have comments talking about it and ways to make it better, or variations for taste.


----------



## vraiblonde

glhs837 said:


> I never use the function buttons.



I use the function buttons for a reference.  Most things I cook take less time than the function is programmed to.  But the functions get smarter as you use them and will set to the time/pressure you change them to.


----------



## glhs837

vraiblonde said:


> I use the function buttons for a reference.  Most things I cook take less time than the function is programmed to.  *But the functions get smarter as you use them and will set to the time/pressure you change them to*.



No kidding, had no idea....... I should RTWFM, I suppose.


----------



## glhs837

Man, 

Just got six drumsticks from the commissary. Gave them a Grillmates Sweet and Smokey dry rub, tossed in about 3/4 of a cup of water, set for high pressure, 20 minutes, then about 10 minutes before releasing what little pressure there was. Tossed them on the grill for a minute or two to crisp the skin........ man, talk about tender....... just threw some jasmine rice into the water left over, should be ready in about 15 minutes.


----------



## General Lee

I'm Surprised you were able to get to pressure with that little of water.


----------



## glhs837

General Lee said:


> I'm Surprised you were able to get to pressure with that little of water.



The 6qt can work fine with between 1/2 and 3/4. Pressure is up between 7-9 minutes. You need enough to cover the bottom by a little bit. Depends on your recipe of course.


----------



## kwillia

I just can't get on board with pressure cooking ever since attending a fancy outdoor wedding where they served chicken that had been prepared in a pressure cooker. It was the most disgusting texture and taste I had ever experienced with chicken.   I also have a fear of explosions and don't want to blow up just because I'm making dinner.


----------



## glhs837

kwillia said:


> I just can't get on board with pressure cooking ever since attending a fancy outdoor wedding where they served chicken that had been prepared in a pressure cooker. It was the most disgusting texture and taste I had ever experienced with chicken.   I also have a fear of explosions and don't want to blow up just because I'm making dinner.



These new ones have safety systems that remove the heat if the pressure gets too high and failing that,  thermal fuse that actually melt and cuts power long before you get to explodey pressures. No fear of explosion. Dont think there have been any cases of exploding instant pots. AS for the texture and taste, I would guess that was due to the operator, in an old school not the method. One reason the old school went out of favor was that it takes a lot of effort to get them right. And that's why the new electronic ones are so in favor, they remove a lot of that effort. 

https://instantpot.com/10-safety-mechanisms/


----------



## Monello

glhs837 said:


> Man,
> 
> Just got six drumsticks from the commissary. Gave them a Grillmates Sweet and Smokey dry rub, tossed in about 3/4 of a cup of water, set for high pressure, 20 minutes, then about 10 minutes before releasing what little pressure there was. Tossed them on the grill for a minute or two to crisp the skin........ man, talk about tender....... just threw some jasmine rice into the water left over, should be ready in about 15 minutes.



Smart move on reusing the left over chicken liquid.  I'm a big fan of using homemade stocks and such.  Growing up most of the meats I ate were served dry.  As an adult I've become a big fan of various sauces.  How much rice did you cook with approx. 3/4 water?  Unless the bird had a lot of released juices, it doesn't sound like you could make a whole bunch with that little bit of liquid.


----------



## kwillia

Monello said:


> Smart move on reusing the left over chicken liquid.  I'm a big fan of using homemade stocks and such.  Growing up most of the meats I ate were served dry.  As an adult I've become a big fan of various sauces.  How much rice did you cook with approx. 3/4 water?  Unless the bird had a lot of released juices, it doesn't sound like you could make a whole bunch with that little bit of liquid.


When I make my homemade salsa each year (I make vast amounts) I realized I was dumping the best part down the drain. So now, after the ingredients are blended and simmered, I strain over a huge pot and save the vitamin filled/flavorful liquid and freeze it in gallon sized freezer bags to use as base stock for soups all winter long.  Because I chose my own ingredients, it is very low sodium and no added sugar so the stock makes a great base.


----------



## DoWhat

kwillia said:


> When I make my homemade salsa each year (I make vast amounts)




You do know where I live and work. (hint, hint)


----------



## kwillia

DoWhat said:


> You do know where I live and work. (hint, hint)


I do! Fair warning, you have to like cilantro.


----------



## glhs837

Monello said:


> Smart move on reusing the left over chicken liquid.  I'm a big fan of using homemade stocks and such.  Growing up most of the meats I ate were served dry.  As an adult I've become a big fan of various sauces.  How much rice did you cook with approx. 3/4 water?  Unless the bird had a lot of released juices, it doesn't sound like you could make a whole bunch with that little bit of liquid.



Ended up being about a little over a cup in the pot, which will cook 3/4 to a cup of rice. Rule of thumb is one cup or 1.25 cups of water to one cup of rice.


----------



## Bonehead

I don't think 1.25 to 1 would work with brown rice only white....and white rice is meh.


----------



## DoWhat

kwillia said:


> I do! Fair warning, you have to like cilantro.



I do.


----------



## glhs837

Bonehead said:


> I don't think 1.25 to 1 would work with brown rice only white....and white rice is meh.



Pretty much exclusivity jasmine rice these days. Son has some basmati I've not tried yet. Brown rice too chewy for me..  

Recipes I see show a 2 cups rice to 2.25 or 2.5 cup of water ratio for brown rice too. With cook times ranging from 20-24 minutes at high pressure, natural release. Of course, cook time in = texture out, and no two people are going to agree on the perfect texture, so you want to fiddle a bit. I would go low and add a couple minutes if it's not to your liking.


----------



## jazz lady

I must say I love, love, LOVE my Instant Pot.  So far I have made lasagna, ribs, chicken, pot roast, and beans, and all have turned out great.  I did buy an accessory kit with the small springform pan in it, which was used to make the lasagna. Only thing I didn't like was the noodles I used - Barilla Oven-Ready. They are flat as cardboard and taste that way.  

Made a big batch of black beans yesterday for use in other dishes.  High pressure for 25, cool for 20, and drain.  Perfect!  A trick I read was don't salt them before cooking as they won't allow them to cook fully.


----------



## jazz lady

glhs837 said:


> Dont know about her, but I use whats called the 5-5-5 method. Five minutes on high pressure, then manually release the pressure after another five, followed by five minutes in an ice bath. I'm about 90% success for easy to peel, with some that dont. Usually when that happens, it's a whole batch that has issues, so I suspect those particular eggs.


I tried this tonight with 7 eggs (all that would fit in the egg rack I bought) and they came out PERFECT!


----------



## glhs837

jazz lady said:


> I tried this tonight with 7 eggs (all that would fit in the egg rack I bought) and they came out PERFECT!




You aren't limited to a single stack, you can stack them on top of each other I'll do a whole dozen at once on either my egg rack or the stock trivet.


----------



## jazz lady

glhs837 said:


> You aren't limited to a single stack, you can stack them on top of each other I'll do a whole dozen at once on either my egg rack or the stock trivet.


Thanks. I didn't know if you could so I settled for doing the number of eggs I had holes for.


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## vraiblonde

It seems really stupid to get excited about hardboiled eggs, but here we are.    It gives me a lot of pleasure to slide those shells right off.


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## jazz lady

vraiblonde said:


> It seems really stupid to get excited about hardboiled eggs, but here we are.    It gives me a lot of pleasure to slide those shells right off.


Yes, it's the little things in our everyday lives that make us happy.  But after struggling with peeling eggs since I could boil an egg, this is truly revolutionary.


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## Kyle

Everytime "InstantPot" comes up on the screen I keep picturing a Cannibis Chia Pet.


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## glhs837

Showed a coworked how I was able to just crack and squeeze the egg right out of the shell. That convinced him  He's had one for a while, but he's also got three kids ranging from 6 to 6 months


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## vraiblonde

jazz lady said:


> Yes, it's the little things in our everyday lives that make us happy.  But after struggling with peeling eggs since I could boil an egg, this is truly revolutionary.



I could have used an Instant Pot when I was working in the bar and had to make the pickled eggs.


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## jazz lady

vraiblonde said:


> pickled eggs.


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## vraiblonde

jazz lady said:


>



Agree, but drunk people in redneck bars like pickled eggs for some reason.


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## jazz lady

vraiblonde said:


> Agree, but drunk people in redneck bars like pickled eggs for some reason.


Yeah, pretty much anything pickled including those red sausage thingies.


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## Monello

Kyle said:


> Everytime "InstantPot" comes up on the screen I keep picturing a Cannibis Chia Pet.








Close enough


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## jazz lady

I made chicken breasts in the Instant Pot last night.  They were marinated overnight in a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, and garlic.  Used the saute feature to brown on both sides for a couple, added about a cup of chicken stock to the bottom, put them on the rack, then cooked on high pressure for 5 minutes, then natural release for 5 more.  I am normally not a fan of chicken breasts, preferring thigh meat instead, but they came out very moist and flavorful!


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## glhs837

Try that same thing without the overnight marinade. You might be surprised at how the pressure gets you that overnight flavor meld in a short time.


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## jazz lady

glhs837 said:


> Try that same thing without the overnight marinade. You might be surprised at how the pressure gets you that overnight flavor meld in a short time.


That was my plan Monday night but that didn't happen, so I just threw the marinade together, poured it over the chicken, and put it in the fridge until I had the time and energy to cook it yesterday.  I will keep that in mind and try it with the next batch.  

Have I said again how much I love my Instant Pot?


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## jazz lady

So I tried cooking a dozen eggs at one time, just piling them on top of each other, and they came out perfect!  

I did learn a valuable lesson when I went to steam broccoli and dumped the water in it without the pot inside the cooker.  It just pours out the bottom and all over the counter.


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## BusinessTime

Monello said:


> Smart move on reusing the left over chicken liquid.  I'm a big fan of using homemade stocks and such.  Growing up most of the meats I ate were served dry.  As an adult I've become a big fan of various sauces.  How much rice did you cook with approx. 3/4 water?  Unless the bird had a lot of released juices, it doesn't sound like you could make a whole bunch with that little bit of liquid.


I've made broth a few times now in my IP.  Super fast. This will sound nutty, but I keep a large freezer bag of veggie scraps.  When the bag is full, add a quart of water & the scraps & some seasoning to the IP & in about an hour you've got a great veg stock


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## Monello

BusinessTime said:


> I've made broth a few times now in my IP.  Super fast. This will sound nutty, but I keep a large freezer bag of veggie scraps.  When the bag is full, add a quart of water & the scraps & some seasoning to the IP & in about an hour you've got a great veg stock


When I had the room, I'd save all the asparagus ends.  Freeze them to make stock for an awesome cream of asparagus soup.


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## jazz lady

BusinessTime said:


> I've made broth a few times now in my IP.  Super fast. This will sound nutty, but I keep a large freezer bag of veggie scraps.  When the bag is full, add a quart of water & the scraps & some seasoning to the IP & in about an hour you've got a great veg stock


That is next.  Homemade stocks and broths are the bomb.  I have several packages in the freezer with trimmings: celery tops, onion peels, carrot tops, asparagus stems, etc.  Also beef and ham bones for making broth. Just not enough time in the day to do everything I want!


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## Monello

Minestrone soup today.  Onion, celery, carrots, zucchini, tomato, peas, spinach, chix stock, herbs, pasta & canned white beans.  Finish with some parm cheese and voila.


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## PeoplesElbow

glhs837 said:


> The release is pretty important on the veggies.


Very important, green beans at 6 mins with instant release are perfect, natural release they are mush.


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